( 592 ) 



THE RED FLYING SQUIRREL OF THE NATUNA ISLANDS. 



By OLDFIELD THOMAS. 



The animal referred In- Mr. Hartert and myself iu 1895 to " Pteromys 7utidus, 

 Desm."* proves on a second examination, and comparison with more material than 

 was formerly available, to be so very mnch smaller than, and to have so many 

 other diiFerences from the trne Petaurista nitida, and its ally P. melariotis, as to 

 necessitate its having a special name. 



Petaurista nitidula sj). n. 



Similar in general appearance to P. nitida, bnt considerably smaller. General 

 body colour as in P. nitida. Sides of face and tips of ears whitish, contrasting with 

 the rufous crown, and blackish whisker spots, eye-rings and postauricular patches. 

 Woolly fur of edges of parachute, and of scrotum, grey, strikingly different to the 

 rufous fur around. Upper surface of bauds and feet brown instead of black. Black 

 of underside of wrists and ankles extending nearly half way towards the elbows and 

 knees. Tail of a paler, duller, rnfous than in P. nitida, and its basal half, especially 

 below, more heavily washed with black. 



Skull markedly smaller than in P. nitida. Nasals short, very widely expanded 

 anteriorly, and abruptly narrowed behind. Zygomata more widely and evenly 

 expanded than iu the allied species. 



Dimensions of the type, measured on the dry skin, and therefore only 

 approximate : — 



Head and body 380 mm., tail 480, hind foot s.u. 66, c.n. 74, ear 27. 



Skull, basilar length 52; greatest breadth 43; nasals, length 19; greatest 

 breadth 13 ; least breadth 6-4 ; interorbital breadth 15-2; tij) to tip of postorbital 

 processes 362 ; postorbital constriction 17 ; palatal length 29-5 ; diastema (to front 

 of p^) 15 ; tooth row (from front of p') 14-7. 



Hab. Bnnguran Island, Natuna Group. 



Ty2)e. Male. B.M. No. 94. 9. 28. 10. Collected 6 Oct. 1893, by A. Everett. 



• Nov. ZooL. II. p. -190. 



